Relationships of inflamm-aging with circulating nutrient levels, body composition, age, and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in a senior horse population

Publication date: Available online 26 January 2020Source: Veterinary Immunology and ImmunopathologyAuthor(s): Melissa H. Siard-Altman, Patricia A. Harris, Amber D. Moffett-Krotky, Joanne L. Ireland, Alejandra Betancourt, Virginia D. Barker, Kellie E. McMurry, Stephanie E. Reedy, Amanda A. AdamsAbstractSimilarly to aged humans, senior horses (≥20 years) exhibit chronic low-grade inflammation systemically, known as inflamm-aging. Inflamm-aging in the senior horse has been characterized by increased circulating inflammatory cytokines as well as increased inflammatory cytokine production by lymphocytes and monocytes in response to a mitogen. Little is currently known regarding underlying causes of inflamm-aging. However, senior horses are also known to present with muscle wasting and often the endocrinopathy pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Despite the concurrence of these phenomena, the relationships inflamm-aging may have with measures of body composition and pituitary function in the horse remain unknown. Furthermore, nutrition has been a focus of research in an attempt to promote health span as well as life span in senior horses, with some nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, having known anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, an exploratory study of a population of n = 42 similarly-managed senior horses was conducted to determine relationships between inflamm-aging and measures of circulating nutrients, body composition, age, and PPID. Serum was collected to ...
Source: Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research